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lit 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

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1 

t 

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3 

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1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

v._ 


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4 


•mmmmfi^'"'-  ■ 


THE  FIGHT  AT 


litatnonti  Is^IainDr, 


LAKE    GEORGE. 


:v»^V^ 


By  the  Rev.  B.  iT  DeCosta, 
Author  of  "Notes  on  the  History  of  Fort  George/'  &c.  ite. 


Eeprintcd,  with  addJUons,  (torn  th«  Now-England  Hlrtorical  and  Ocneillogicnl  Register. 


Neto*¥orft: 

J.  Sabin  &  Sons,  84  Nassau  St. 

London :  23  Backingham  St. 

1872. 


HHmJi^- 


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ii 


-~'Ma«iw«WM«n-«<|i*«l»'«l«"i  ' 


.»'W»^,, 


EDITION  OP  aOO  C0FIE8. 


09  ..««.» 


<#; 


»■■ 


Boston  : 
DftYld  Clapp  &  Son,  Prlnten. 


H 


i: 


■ISV  .        /( 


THE  FIGHT  AT  DIAMOND  ISLAND. 


L 


STANDING  upon  one  of  the  heights  near  the  head  or  southern  end 
of  Lake  George,'  the  tourist  looks  down  on  the  placid  waters,  and 
sees  at  his  feet  a  small  island  covered  with  verdure,  and  glowing  like  an 
emerald  in  the  summer  sun.  It  is  Diamond  Island,*  one  of  the  best 
known  of  the  many  exquisite  isles  that  gem  the  more  distant  portions  of 
the  little  inland  sea ;  which  here  boasts  only  about  half-a-dozen,  notwithstand- 
ing Cooper  speaks  of  "  countless  islands "  that  may  be  seen  from  this  spot. 

>  "  There  is  one  point  on  which  we  would  wish  to  lay  a  word  before  closing  the 
preface.  Hawk-Eye  calls  the  Lao  du  Saint  Sacrement, '  the  Horican.'  As  we  believe 
this  to  be  an  appropriation  of  the  name  that  has  its  origin  with  ourselves,  the  time  has 
arrived,  perhaps,  when  the  fact  should  be  Orankiy  admitted.  While  writing  this  book  fully 
a  quarter  of  a  century  since,  it  occurred  to  us  that  the  French  name  of  the  lake  was  too 
complicated,  the  American  too  common- place,  and  the  Indian  too  unpronounceable,  for 
either  to  be  used  in  a  work  of  fiction.  Looking  over  an  ancient  map,  it  was  ascertained  that 
atril)e  of  Indians,  called  'Let  Horicani'  by  the  French,  existed  in  the  neighborhood  of  this 
beautiful  sheet  of  water.  As  every  word  uttered  by  Natty  Bumpo  was  not  to  be  received 
as  rigid  truth,  we  took  the  liberty  of  putting  the  '  Horican '  into  his  month,  as  a  substitute 
for  *  Lake  Oeorge.*  .  .  .  We  relieve  our  conscience  by  the  confession."  [Latt  of  the 
MoMeatu,  Ed.  1872,  p.  4.]  In  connection  with  this  subject,  see  the  author's  "  Lake 
Oeorge:  its  Scenes  and  Characteristics,"  pp.  73,  74:  "A  Narrhtive  of  Events  at  Lake 
Oeorge,"  p.  6  ;  and  "  Notes  on  the  History  of  Fort  Oeorge,"  p.  6.  At  the  present  time 
there  is  a  uminimons  desire  on  the  part  of  the  admirers  of  Lake  Oeorge  to  secure  the  return 
to  the  old  and  beautifUl  name. 

*  Silliman,  who  was  bore  in  1819,  says :  "The  crystals  are  hardly  surpassed  by  any  In  the 
world  for  transparency  and  perfection  of  form.  They  are,  as  usual,  the  six-sided  prism,  and 
are  frequently  terminated  at  both  ends  by  six-sided  pyramids.  These  last,  of  course,  must 
be  found  loose,  or,  at  least,  not  adhering  to  any  rock ;  those  which  are  broken  oif  hnvo 
necessarily  only  one  pyramid."— St'M'mon'*  TVaeob,  p.  1S3. 


-f, 


•>  •  Iff' 


TRB  FIORT  AT  DIAMOND  ISLAND. 


4 


,  From  time  immemorial,  Diamond  bland  haa  borne  ita  present  name, 
derived  from  the  exquisite  crystals  with  which  the  underlying.rock  abounds. 
Here  is  the  scene  of  the  fight  which  took  place  on  this  lake,  Sept  24,  1777, 
an  occurrence  that  appears  to  have  been  purposely  overlooked  by  the 
Americans  at  the  time,  and  which  has  since  failed  to  f  nd  a  chronicler.' 

But  before  proceeding  to  give  the  narrative  of  this  event  it  may  be  well 
to  speak  of  several  other  points,  and  to  make  a  brief  statement  of  the  military 
situation  at  that  time.  <!     v     v. 

First  comes  the  question  of  the  discovery  of  Lake  George  by  the 
Europeans.  According  to  the  best  knowledge  that  wo  possess,  its  waters 
were  first  seen  by  a  white  man  in  the  year  1040.*  It  is  true  Champlain 
tolls  us  that  he  saw  the  falls  at  the  outlet  of  the  lake  in  1 609,  yet  there  is 
nothing  whatever  to  indicate  that  he  visited  the  lake  itself,  though  the 
Indians  had  informed  him  of  its  existence.  It  is  reasonable,  therefore,  to 
conclude  that  Lake  George  was  seen  for  the  first  time  by  a  European,  May 
29,  1G46,*  when  it  receive<l  its  name,  "Lac  du  Saint  Socrement,"  from  the 
Ilov.  Isaac  Jogues.  S.  J.,  who,  in  company  with  Jean  Bourdon,  the  celebrated 
engineer,  was  on  his  way  south  to  effect  a  treaty  with  the  Mohawks. 


■  This  nfflilr  was  alluded  to  by  the  English,  thongh  the  Americans  said  nothing.  Among 
recent  writers,  I  have  found  no  notice  beyond  thut  hj  Losslng  In  his  Fie'd  Book,  vol.  I.  p. 
U4.  When  the  present  writer  composed  hii  first  work  on  Lake  George  be  had  not  found 
the  offlclal  account  by  Col.  Brown. 

*  See  Relutiotu  de$  Jtiuitta,  1646,  p.  15. 

'  Mr.  Parkman,  In  his  work  on  The  J«tuit$  in  America  (p.  219),  has  indeed  stated  that 
Father  Jogues  ascended  Lake  Ocorge  in  1612,  when,  in  company  with  P^re  Qonpll,  ho  was 
carried  away  a  prisoner  liy  the  Indians. 

The  opinion  of  Mr.  Parkman  is  liased  on  a  manuscript  account  of  that  Journey,  taken  down 
from  Father  Jogues's  own  lips  by  Father  Bntcux.  The  account,  after  describing  the 
Journey  southward  and  over  l.ake  Champlain,  which  occupied  eight  days,  says  that  they 
"arrived  at  the  place  where  one  leaves  the  canoes"  (ohPonquitUlttcanott),  and  then 
"marched  southward  three  days  by  land,"  until  they  reached  the  Mohawk  villages.  But 
thcro  is  nothing  whatever  in  the  description,  by  which  we  can  recognize  a  passage  over 
Lake  Cieorgc,  nothing  about  the  portage,  the  fniU,  nor  the  outlet.  Everything  turns  chiefly 
on  the  fact  that  they  arrived  at  the  plaee  tehert  one  leatt*  the  eanoei.  1  his  place,  it  is 
assumed,  was  the  head  of  Lake  George,  tcom.  whence  there  was  a  trail  southward.  Now  in 
reganl  to  the  existence  of  such  a  trail  at  that  period,  there  can  be  no  doubt;  yet  unques-^ 
tionably  it  was  not  the  only  trail  followed  by  the  Indians.  The  old  French  mnp  shows  two 
trails  to  the  Mohawk  villages,  one  tewa  the  head  of  Lake  George,  and  the  other  from  the 
South-west  Bay. 

It  Is  true  that  Chnmplatn,  in  1600,  Intended  to  go  to  the  Mohawk  country,  by  Lake 
George,  yet  at  the  period  of  Jogucs's  captivity  we  have  no  account  of  any  one  taking  that 
route.    Father  Jogues  himself  clearly  did  not  cross  the  lake  in  1646.    It  Is  distinctly  said 


,-  r: 


THK  rionr  at  diamond*  island.  ft 

Arriving  at  tho  outlet  of  the  lake  on  the  evening  of  Corput  Chriiti,  they 
gave  it  the  above  name  in  honor  of  this  festival,  which  fklls  on  the  Thursdaj 
following  Trinity  Sunday,  and  commemoratos  the  alleged  Real  Presence  of 
Christ  in  the  Great  Sacrament. 

From  this  time  until  1755  the  lake  was  rarely  visitecl  by  Europeans.  At 
this  period  the  Frennh  comroence<l  the  fortiHcations  of  Ticonderoga,  while 
the  English  met  the  advance  by  the  construction  of  Fort  William  Ileury  at 
the  opposite  end  of  the  lake.  ',-''''»'•     ^  '    •■ 


•M    U 


Wo  pass  over  the  struggles  that  took  place  on  these  waters  during  the 
French  wars,  and  come  to  the  period  of  the  Revolution,  when  a  feeble 
English  garrison  held  |>ossc8sion  of  Ticonderoga,  while  Capt.  Nordberg  lived 
in  a  little  cottage  at  the  head  of  the  lake,  being  the  nominal  commander  oi 
tenantless  Fort  George.  With  the  commencement  of  the  struggle  for  liberty, 
Lake  George  resumed  its  former  importance  as  a  part  of  the  main  highway 
to  the  Canodas,  and  by  this  route  our  troops  wont  northward,  until  the  tide 
turned,  and  our  own  soil,  in  the  summer  of  1777,  became  the  scene  of  fresh 
invasion.  Then  Burgoyne's  troops  poured  in  like  a  flood,  and  "or  a  time 
swept  all  before  them.  It  was  at  this  period  that  the  fight  at  Diamond 
Island  took  place. 

Burgoyne  had  pushed  with  his  troops,  by  the  Whitehall  route,  far  to  the 
southward  of  Lake  George,  being  determined  to  strike  at  Albany,  having 

that  they  arrived  at  the  end  of  the  Inke  (bout  d*  laej  on  the  eve  of  the  Festival  of  SI. 
Saeremtnl,  when  they  named  the  lake,  and  the  next  day  went  soatli  on  foot,  carrying  their 
poclcg  on  their  baclcs.  This  ii  the  view  given  by  every  one  who  boa  treated  the  sul^ect  in 
print,  including  Mr.  Farliinan  hiniRelf. 

To  this  it  has  been  answered  that  bout  d*  lac  always  means  the  head  of  the  lake,  and  that 
the  terms  are  so  nsed  in  the  Relations ;  yet  if  we  return  to  the  Relation  of  1668  (vol.  ill. 
p.  fi),  detailing  the  Journey  of  Fathers  Fremin,  Pieron  and  Bruyos,  we  find  that  this  is  not 
the  case.  The  writer  there  says  that  while  be  and  others  delayed  on  an  Island  iu  Lake 
Cbamplain,  the  boatmen  went  forward,  "  landing  at  the  end  of  the  Lake  (bout  de  lac)  du 
St.  Sacrement,  and  preparing  for  the  portage."  At  this  place,  the  north  end  of  the  lake, 
there  Is  a  heavy  portage,  in  order  to  get  around  tbe  Falls  of  Ticonderoga.  In  the  next 
sentence  be  again  calls  this  end  of  the  lake,  which  is  the  north  end  or  outlet,  bout  de  lae. 
But  we  have  nlso-to  remind  the  reader,  that  the  place  where  Father  Jogues  left  hit  eanoe,  in 
1646,  was  at  the  north  end  of  the  lake  (tbe  foot),  which  he,  like  the  others,  calls  bout  de  lac. 
The  language  is  so  translated  by  Porkman  and  others  who  have  mentioned  the  circumstance. 
Bout  de  lac,  in  tbe  Jesuit  Relatione,  therefore  dors  not  mean  the  head  of  the  lake.  We  see, 
then,  that  wo  have  not  sufficient  reason  for  supposing  that  "  tbe  place  where  one  leaves  the 
canoes"  meant  tbe  bead,  or  south  rnd  of  Lake  Oeorge,  and  consequently  that  the  alleged 
passage  over  the  lake  by  Jogaes,  in  1642,  is  indefensible,  on  that  ground. 


I 


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I 


I 


■mil  nonr  at  nuMOND  iblanp. 


;i 


lofl  but  n  Rmnll  forro  at  Ticondoroga,  a  linn<lAil  of  men  at  Fort  (Icorge,  and 
a  gurriHoii  ut  Diamond  Iitlnnil  to  guard  tlio  HtorcH  accumulated  tlitTe.  Suoing 
tlio  opportunity  thutt  broadly  prctttMitcd,  (iuu.  Liiurolii,  acting  undor  the 
dirocaion  of  (iatcH,  rcHolved  to  nuiko  an  ctt'ort  to  dcHtroy  Hurgoynu'tt  lino  of 
communication,  and,  if  p08i»iblo,  capturu  his  Muppliea.  llo  then^fure 
doHpatchtid  Col.  John  Drown  with  a  forco  to  attack  Ticouderoga,  an  enter- 
prise which,  though  attended  with  partial  huccchh,  failed  in  the  end.  To  this 
failure  he  subseiiuently  added  another,  resulting  iVom  the  fight  at  Diamond 
Island. 

Hut  Hinco  the  ])rintcd  accounts  of  the  attack  upon  Ticonderoga  are  almost 
aH  meagre  as  thoHe  of  the  struggle  at  the  iHland,  we  will  here  give  the  oiTlcial 
report,  which  is  likewise  to  bo  found  among  the  Gates  Pa[)ers,  now  in  the 
jKJssession  of  the  Ilistorical  Society  of  New- York,  prefacing  the  rejHjrt, 
however,  with  the  Knglish  statement  of  Burgoyne. 

In  the  course  of  a  vindication  of  his  military  iK)licy,  Gen.  Burgoyne  writes 
as  follows: 


"  During  the  evonth  stated  alwvc,  nn  attempt  was  umdu  ngiiinst  Ticonderoga  by  an 
army  aHsembled  under  Mi\j()r-(ioneral  Lincoln,  who  found  means  to  march  with  h 
conbidcrublo  corps  from  lluberton  undiscovered,  while  another  column  of  his  force 
passed  tlio  mountains  Skenceborough  and  Lake  Oeorge,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
18th  of  iScptember  a  sudden  and  general  attack  vas  made  upon  the  carrying  place  at 
Lake-Cicorge,  Sugar-Hill,  Ticonderoga,  and  Mount-Indupendence.  The  sea  officers 
commanding  the  armed  sloop  stationed  to  defend  the  carrying  place,  as  also  Home  of 
the  officers  commanding  at  the  poet  of  Sugar-IIill  and  at  the  Portage,  were  surprised, 
and  a  considerable  part  of  four  companies  of  the  53d  regiment  were  made  prisoners; 
a  block-house,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Lord  of  the  53d,  was  the  only  post  on  that 
side  that  had  time  to  make  use  of  their  arms,  and  they  made  a  brave  defence  till 
cannon  taken  from  the  surprised  vessel  was  brought  against  them. 

"  After  stating  and  lamenting  so  fatal  a  want  of  vigilance,  I  have  to  inform  your 
Lordship  of  the  satisfactory  events  which  followed. 

"The  enemy  having  twice  summoned  Brigadier  General  Powell,  and  received  such 
answer  as  became  a  gallant  officer  entrusted  with  so  important  a  post,  and  having 
tried  during  the  course  of  four  days  several  attacks,  and  being  repulsed  in  all, 
retreated  without  having  done  any  considerable  damage. 

"  Brigadier  General  Powell,  from  whose  report  to  me  I  extract  this  relation,  gives 
great  commendations  to  the  regiment  of  Prince  Frederick,  and  the  other  troops 
stationed  at  Mount-Independence.    The  Brigadier  also  mentions  with  great  applause 


t,  and 
"tooing 

T  tho 

linu  uf 
er<!fore 

enter- 
To  this 
iomond 

almoRt 

oinciul 

V  in  tlie 

report, 


THB   FIOHT   AT   DIAMOND   IHLAND.  T 

tho  bohitT'our  of  Captain  Taylor  of  the  9Ut  regiment,  who  waa  aooidentally  there  on 
liiit  route  to  tho  army  from  the  honpital,  and  Lieutenant  Bceorofl  of  the  94th  regl* 
ment,  who  with  the  artiflcera  in  arnm  defended  an  ini{M>rtttnt  tmttory,"* 

Such  is  Burgoyno'H  account  of  tho  attack  upon  Ticondoroga ;  next  to 
whicii  comes  that  of  Col.  Brown,  wtio,  for  tho  second  timo  in  tlio  course  of 
his  military  experience,  had  an  opportunity  of  ozhil)iting  hi*  valor  in 
connection  with  the  fort.     His  report  to  Gen.  Lincoln  runs  as  follows: 


•'  «?Ir, 


"  North  end  of  lake  Ueorge  landing. 
•'  thurwlay  Sop  10">  1777 


"  With  great  fatigue  afler  marohing  all  last  night  I  arrived  at  this  place  at  the 
bionk  of  day,  and  after  the  Itcst  disposition  of  the  men,  I  could  make,  immediately 
began  the  attack,  and  in  a  few  minutes,  carried  the  place.  I  then  without  any  loss 
of  time  dctatched  a  considerable  part  of  my  men  to  the  mills,  where  a  greater  number 
of  the  enemy  wore  posted,  who  also  were  soon  made  prisoners,  a  small  number  of 
whom  having  taken  possession  of  a  block  house  in  that  Vicinity  were  with  mor« 
difficulty  bro't  to  submission ;  but  at  the  sight  of  a  Cannon  they  surrendered,  during 
this  season  of  success.  Mount  Defiance  also  fell  into  our  bands.  I  have  taken  pos- 
session of  the  old  french  lines  at  Ticonderoga,  and  have  sent  a  flag  demanding  the 
surrender  of  Ty :  and  mount  independence  in  strong  and  peremptory  terms.  I  hare 
had  as  yet  no  information  of  the  erent  of  Ool°.  Johnsons  attack  on  the  mount.  My 
loss  of  men  iii  them  several  actions  are  not  more  than  3  or  4  killed  and  S  wounded, 
the  enemy's  lose ;  is  less.  I  find  myself  in  possession  of  303  prisoners.  Vis'  3  captains, 
Qsube.  3  Commissaries,  non  Commissioned  officeru  and  privates  143.  British  110 
Canadians,  18  artificers  and  retook  more  than  100  of  our  men.  total  303,  exclusive 
of  the  prisoners  retaken. — ^The  watercraft  I  have  taken,  is  150  battcaus  below  the 
ialls  on  lake  Champlain  50  above  the  falls  including  17  gun  boats  and  one  armed  sloop, 
arms  equal  to  the  number  of  prisoners.  Some  ammunition  and  many  other  things 
which  I  cannot  now  ascertain.  I  must  not  forget  to  mention  a  few  Cannon  which  may 
be  of  great  service  to  us.  Tho :  my  success  has  hitherto  answered  my  most  sanguine 
expectations,  I  cannot  promise  myself  great  things,  the  events  of  war  being  so  dubious 
in  their  nature,  but  shall  do  my  best  to  distress  the  enemy  all  in  my  power,  having 
regard  to  my  retreat— There  is  but  a  small  quantity  of  provisions  at  this  place  which 
I  think  will  necessitate  my  retreat  in  case  we  do  not  carry  Ty  and  independence — 1 
hope  you  will  use  your  utmost  endeavor  to  give  me  assistance  should  I  need  in 
croflsiiig  the  lake  &o— The  enemy  but  a  very  small  force  at  fort  George.  Their  boats 
are  on  an  island  about  14  miles  from  this  guarded  by  six  companies,  having  artillery 

>  State  of  the  Expedition  from  Canada.    By  Burgoyhe.    p.  xciv.    Ed.  1780. 


"•"■"■iiplilp 


!■ 


8 


THE   FIOHT   AT  DIAMOND  ISLAND. 


— I  hare  mnch  fear  with  respect  to  the  primners,  being  obliged  to  tend  them  under 
a  small  guard  —  I  am  well  informed  that  considerable  reinforcements  is  hourly 
expected  at  the  lake  under  command  of  Sir  John  Johnson-  -This  minute  received  Geni. 
Powals  answer  to  my  demand  in  these  words,  '  The  garrison  intrusted  to  my  charge 
I  shall  defend  to  the  last.'  Indeed  I  have  little  hopes  of  putting  him  to  the  necessity 
of  giving  it  up  unless  by  the  force  under  Colonel  Johnson. 

"lam* 
"Geni  Lincoln.'  •*  John  Shown.  ' 


y 


We  now  turn  to  the  fight  at  Diamond  Island,  giving  first  the  English 
version,  simply  remarking  as  a  preliminary,  that  in  the  postscript  of  a  letter 
address,  by  Jonas  Fay  to  Gen.  Gates,  dat«d  Bennington,  Sept.  22,  1771, 
is  the  following : 

"By  a  person  just  arrived  from  Fort  George— only  30  men  are  ^.t  that  place  and 
8  Gun  Boats  anchor'd  at  a  distance  from  land  and  that  the  enemy  have  not  more 
than  3  weeks  provision."  * 

Writing  from  Albany  after  his  surrender.  Gen.  Burgo3rne  says,  under  the 
date  of  Oct.  27th,  that 

"  On  the  Slth  instant,  the  enemy,  enabled  by  the  capture  of  the  gunboats  and 
bateaux  which  they  had  made  after  the  surprise  of  the  aloop,  to  embark  upon  Lake 
George,  attacked  Diamond  Island  in  two  divisions. 

"  Captain  Aubrey  and  two  companies  of  the  47th  regiment,  bad  been  posted  at 
that  island  from  the  time  the  army  passed  the  Hudson's  River,  as  a  better  situation 
(or  the  security  of  the  stores  at  the  south  end  of  Lake  George  than  Fort  George, 
which  is  on  the  continent,  and  not  tenable  against  artillery  and  numbers.  The 
enemy  were  repulsed  by  Captain  Aubrey  with  great  loss,  and  pursued  by  the  gun- 
boats under  his  command  to  the  wst  shore,  where  two  of  their  principal  vessels  were 
retaken,  together  with  all  the  cannon.  They  had  just  time  to  set  fire  to  the  other 
bateaux  uid  retreated  over  the  mountains."'  r    .^-.v^; 

This  statement  was  based  upon  the  report  made  by  Lieut.  Irwine,  the 
commander  at  Lake  George,  whose  communication  appears  to  have  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  Gates,  at  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne. 


I  Gates  Papers,  p.  194.       *  Ibid.  p.  SOS. 

*  State  of  the  Expedition  (torn  Canada,  p.  63. 


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THE   FIGHT  AT  DIAMOND  ISLAND. 


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Lieut  Geo.  Irwine,  of  the  47th,  reports  thus  to  Lieut.  Francis  Clark, 
aid-de-camp  to  Gen.  Burgoyne : 

"Fort  George  24"' Sept,.  1777. 
••Sir 

"I  think  it  necessary  to  acquaint  you  for  the  information  of  Genemi  Burgoyne, 
that  the  enemy,  to  the  amount  oi  two  or  three  hundred  men  came  from  Skcneshurugh 
to  the  carrying  place  near  Tyconderoga  and  there  took  seventeen  or  eighteen  Batteuus 
with  Gunboats — Their  design  was  first  to  attack  the  fort  but  considering  tiiey  could 
not  well  accomplish  it  without  cannon  they  desisted  from  that  sclieme,  they  were 
then  resolved  to  attack  Diamond  Island  (which  Island  Capt.  Aubrey  commands)  and 
if  they  succeeded,  to  take  this  place,  they  began  to  attack  the  Island  with  cnnnon 
about  0  o'clock  yesterday  morning,  I  have  the  satisfaction  to  inform  you  that  atler  a 
cannonading  for  near  an  hour  and  a  half  on  both  sides  the  enemy  took  to  tlieir  retreat. 
Then  was  Gun  boats  sent  in  pursuit  of  them  which  occasioned  the  enemy  to  burn 
their  Gun  boats  and  Batteaus  and  made  their  escape  towards  Skenesborough  in  great 
confusion — we  took  one  Gun  boat  from  them  with  a  twelve  pounder  in  her  and  a 
good  quantity  of  ammunition — we  have  heard  there  was  a  few  kill'd  and  mnny 
wounded  of  them.  There  \ras  not  a  man  killed  or  hurt  during  the  whole  action  of 
his  Majesty's  Troops.  I  have  the  honor  to  be  Sir  your  roost  obedient  and  most 
humb"  Ser« 

*'  Geo"  Irwine  Com  at  Fort  George 
...  .  ••L»47"'"» 


We  next  give  the  report  of  Col.  Brown,  who  writes  as  follows,  and 
not  without  chagrin :       -;    /-  .,  ^.  ,.;._,.,    ,,,,.  ,-.,. 

"Skeensboro  Friday  11  o'clock,  a  m.  Sept  SGth  1777 
"Dear  Sir 

"  I  this  minute  arrived  at  this  place  by  the  way  of  Fort  Ann,  was  induced  to  take 
this  rout  on  ac'  of  my  Ignorance  of  the  situation  of  every  part  of  the  continental 
Army 

"  On  the  22  inB*  at  4  o'olk  P.M.  I  set  sail  from  the  north  end  Lake  George  with  SO 
sail  of  Boats  three  of  which  were  armed,  Viz  one  small  sloop  mounting  3  guns,  and  S 
British  Gun  Boats  having  on  Board  the  whole  about  420  Men  officers  included  with 
a  Determined  resolution  to  attack  Diamond  Island  which  lies  within  5  miles  Fort 
George  at  the  break  of  Day  the  next  Morning,  but  a  very  heavy  storm  coming  on 
prevented — I  arrived  Sabbath  Day  point  abt  midnight  where  I  tarried  all  night, 


Gates  Papers,  p.  218. 


s   ; 


10 


THE   FIGHT  AT   DIAMOND   ISLAND. 


during  which  time  I  [sic]  small  Boat  in  tho  fleet  taken  the  Day  before  coming  from 
Fort  George,  conducted  by  one  Ferry  lately  a  sutler  in  our  army,  I  put  Ferry  on  his 
Parole,  but  in  the  night  he  found  Means  to  escape  with  his  Boat,  and  informed  the 
Enemy  of  our  approach,  on  the  23d  I  advanced  aa  far  as  12  Mile  Island,  the  Wind 
continuing  too  liigh  for  an  attack  I  suspended  it  untill  the  Morning  of  the  24">  at  b 
oclock  at  which  Time  I  advanced  with  the  3  armed  Boats  in  front  and  the  other 
Buivtd,  I  ordered  to  wing  to  tho  Right  and  left  of  Island  to  attempt  a  landing  if  prac- 
ticable, and  to  support  the  Gun  Itoats  in  case  they  should  need  assistance,  I  was 
induced  to  make  this  experiment  to  find  the  strength  of  the  Island  as  also  to  carry  it 
if  j)rncticable — the  enemy  gave  me  tho  first  fire  which  I  returned  in  good  earnest, 
and  advanced  as  nigh  a&  I  thought  prudent,  I  soon  found  that  the  enemy  had  been 
advertised  of  our  approach  and  well  prepared  for  our  reception  having  a  great  num- 
ber of  cannon  well  mouiitcfl  with  good  Breast  Works,  I  however  approached  within 
tt  small  Distance  giving  the  Enemy  as  hot  a  f  .c  as  in  my  Power,  untill  tho  sloop  was 
hulled  between  wind  and  Water  and  obliged  to  toe  her  ofi*  and  one  of  the  l)oats  so 
damaged  as  I  was  obliged  to  quit  her  in  the  action.  I  had  two  men  killed  two  Mor- 
tally wounded  and  several  others  wounded  in  such  Manner  a.s  I  was  obliged  to  leave 
them  under  the  Care  of  the  Inhabitants,  who  I  had  taken  Prisoners  giving  them  a 
sufficient  reward  for  their  services. 

1  Run  my  Bouts  up  a  Bay  a  considerable  distance  and  burnt  them  with  all  tho 
Bnggugc  that  was  not  portable — The  Enemy  have  on  Diamond  Island  as  near  as 
C!)uld  \x'.  collected  are  about  three  hundred,  and  about  40  at  Fort  George  with  orders 
if  thi^y  are  attacked  to  retreat  to  the  Island — Gen'  Bovgoine  iias  about  4  Weeks 
Provision  witli  his  army  and  no  more,  he  is  determined  to  cut  liia  Road  through  to 
Albany  at  all  event ,  for  this  I  have  the  Inst  authority,  still  I  think  him  under  a 
small  mistake — ^lost  ni'  the  Horses  and  Cattle  taken  at  Ty  and  thereabouts  were  letl 
in  the  Woods.     Gen'  Warner  hos  put  out  a  party  in  quest  of  them. 

"  I  am  Dear  S'  wishing  you  and  the 
"  Main  Army 

"  great  Success  your  most  ob' 
"  hum'  Ser« 

"  Jno  Brown 
"Gen'  Lincoln 

"  NB  You  may  Depend  on  it  that  after  the  British  Army  were  supply  with  six 
Weeks  provision  which  was  two  weeks  from  the  Communication  between  Lak» 
George  and  Fort  Edward  was  ordered  by  Gen'  Burgoine  to  be  stor'd  and  no  posses 
given 

•'  The  attack  on  the  Island  continued  with  interruption  2  Hours." » 

'  Gates  Papers,  p.  220. 


THE   FIOHT  AT  DIAMOKD  I8LAND. 


11 


Thus  ended  the  fight  at  Diamond  Island  ;  a  fight  which,  if  attended  with 
better  success,  might  havb  perhaps  hastened  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne, 
and  resulted  in  other  advantages  to  the  American  arms.  As  it  was,  how- 
ever, the  British  line  of  communication  on  Lake  George  was  not  broken, 
while  the  American  leaders  took  good  care  to  prevent  this  failure  from 
reaching  the  public  ear  through  the  press.  Thus  Col.  Brown's  reports  to 
Gen.  Lincoln  remained  unpublished.  They  have  now  been  brought  out 
and  put  on  permanent  record,  as  interesting  material  for  American  history. 

As  regards  the  island  in  more  recent  times,  there  is  little  to  tell.  It 
once  boasted  a  little  house  of  entertainment ;  but  that  has  long  since 
passed  away.  To-day  the  summer  tourist  who  rows  out  to  this  lovely  isle, 
which  commands  delightful  views  of  the  lake  far  and  wide,  will  see  no 
evidences  of  Col.  Brown's  fight,  but  will  find  the  very  atmosphere  bathed 
in  perfect  peace.  Of  relics  of  the  old  wars,  which  for  more  than  a  hundred 
years  caused  the  air  to  jar,  and  echoing  hills  to  complain,  —  there  are  none. 
The  ramparts  that  once  bristled  with  cannon  have  been  smoothed  away, 
and  the  cellar  of  an  ancient  house  is  all  the  visitor  will  find  among  the 
birches  to  tell  of  the  olden  occupancy  of  man. 


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